Young Edge jock works her way to the top

Undeniably passionate and speaking contagiously, Josie Dye knows what she is talking about. As the Edge's midday on-air disc jockey, this Torontonian has really found her niche on the 102.1 frequency range.Now working at the station for just over two years, Dye made the switch from the much larger Toronto station, Mix 99.9, after working there for more than seven years. Still at 26, relatively young compared to industry standards, the radio personality has worked her way up since becoming an intern.

"I was on the air on a different station," said Dye. "I worked my way through that station a lot. I started out as an intern when I was 17 at that station, until producing the morning show, and eventually got my break and I was allowed to do overnights at that station."

Dye's real love at the station is the dynamic aspect of being on-air. As assistant music director at The Edge, Dye's encyclop‘dic knowledge of music resounds through the radios of listeners across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and surrounding area.

As much as the disc jockey enjoys her on-air duties, she also finds pleasure in handling administrative tasks in the music department. Dye admits that ensuring all of the announcers are playing what they are supposed to be playing can often be the worst part of her job. Dye and everyone at the Edge must adhere to Canadian Content (CanCon) and Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) regulations. 'Reconciling' is another term used by Dye to ensure that the correct music is being played, catalogued and documented.

"I think a lot of people will disagree with me, but especially on the radio when people hear Canadian artists over and over, we're developing our own artists, we need to do this," said Dye. "It's hard when we have a place like America right beside us, which has the money to put into their artists ... If we didn't have CanCon, we wouldn't have Canadian artists."

Aggressively targeting the male 18-34 age demographic, Dye believes that the radio station caters to that group adequately, and even those who do not fall in that demographic understand the message the station is trying to get across. Unfortunately, Dye isn't so sure the station is on her parents' preset.

"Yeah, sometimes they do [listen]," Dye said. "Proud parents are going to listen to their daughter here and there, but it's not their regular station."

The change of scenery seems to have worked out well for Dye, who is now comfortable in relating to the audience she feels she can target. The switch from speaking to a crowd a lot older to listeners of The Edge was effortless in a way.

"I was ready to leave the station I was working at and I applied to The Edge," said Dye. "I knew a few people and they contacted me and gave me an interview and that's how I got my job."

Dye does not hold back when expressing the camaraderie felt at the popular, downtown Toronto radio station.

"We're kind of like a little family. We all party together. We are all very unique characters. There is always something going on," said Dye. "Everyone has different things to bring to the table."

Dye is excited about the recent increase of female personalities on the radio. Listening to Mae Potts when she was younger (and subsequently taping her voice over top of the trailblazer), Dye believes that listeners, and especially male listeners enjoy hearing a female's voice in the radio industry. At one point, Dye remembers herself as being the only female member in the studio, whereas now The Edge employs herself, Lana, and Sandra.

There is a lighter side to The Edge's DJ, admitting that she relaxes by going to a ton of concerts, listening to music, running, being around her family a lot, and doing spontaneous, wacky things. If you're wondering what's on Dye's iPod right now, look no further than The Music, The Beatles, Weezer and U2.

Living by example, Dye has some great advice for those wanting to get involved in radio, television and journalism.

"Intern, it's the only way nowadays," Dye said. "Go to school, get educated, learn your stuff and take it all in. They don't care about your marks, they care about what you know ... You start at the bottom and you work your way up, that's just the way it works. I don't think I've ever come across a person, in this generation, who just got a job out of the blue."

Dye's hard work and enthusiasm surrounding music paid off, and she is where she stands now because of it.

"Because my parents were so musical, if I didn't have music [growing up], I wouldn't be here at The Edge today," Dye said. "I think that everyone needs something in their lives and whether it be sports or music, I think you need a hobby. Music also brings you to a moment in your life psychologically, whether your grieving about something or are happy about something, music will bring you back ... music is huge."

Listen up, Josie Dye knows what she is talking about.